1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image recording apparatus which records an image on a recording medium by ejecting ink droplets in accordance with image data.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, a printer for executing a recording operation using a so-called ink-jet recording head which ejects ink droplets in accordance with image data has been available. In such a printer, in order to prevent occurrence of a print error caused by clogging of a nozzle of the recording head, a recovery operation is executed, e.g., when a power supply is turned on in a hardware manner, when the unused period exceeds a predetermined time, or when a cartridge is to be exchanged, thereby discharging a thickened ink from the nozzle of the recording head.
In such a printer, however, a recovery process is executed every time a power supply is turned on in a hardware manner. For this reason, depending on the set state of the housing of the printer, an ink discharged in the recovery process leaks to contaminate the inside of the housing, and further may cause trouble.
A facsimile (FAX) apparatus having such a printer as a recording unit has been proposed. In such a FAX apparatus, a recovery process is executed upon a reception operation. When, e.g., a memory substitute reception process is executed due to the absence of a recording paper sheet or the like, a print operation is not executed, so a recovery operation is not required actually. In this case, however, both an ink and a time required for an unnecessary recovery operation are wasted.